Alesse and sex drive

I have been taking Alesse for about 3-4 years, and I always liked it over any other bc I had tried, until recently. I am a generally happy person, but I started noticing that I never cry anymore, which is very strange for me, because when I get stressed or upset I will usually cry and I feel much better. So now I feel depressed and cranky all the time. I also for the past year or so have experienced a loss in sex drive, which I thought was just me. I also have had numerous yeast infections, but it's been like that since I started taking bc 5 years ago.

I just recently switched from Yasmin to Alesse.. due to Yasmin giving me ZERO sex drive and crazy emotions. I have not been on Alesse very long at all.. it has not even been a week! but all day today I have had a terrible headache!! I really just want to know if that will go away? Or if i will have to switch again! Since it is such a hassle to get a doctors appointment haha.
DO THE HEADACHES GO AWAY? I have not been able to do anything all day because of it =(

I'm not 100% certain that Alesse has been causing my major health issues recently, but after going through all other tests, my doctor has suggested I stop taking it. I pray that it is the answer.
I have been on Alesse for two years, (this past Aug 2007) but it was last March that I really noticed some of the typical impacts. Moodiness, lack of a sex drive (which I missed) and then the dreaded splotches. I had these dark type of circles appear on the top of my cheeks, which appeared overnight. I soon found out that any type of birth control can cause these to appear. Great. Just great. Then I had spotting between periods, which wouldn't be so bad except they came along with those tiny tummy cramps. This didn't add much fun to my current IBS issues.
I'm diabetic (but have been for 30+ years) so it never impacted me regarding blood sugars etc.
Then along came May. I had a bad bought with IBS one morning then I had the panic attack hit at the very same time. I've never hypervenatlated before so I had no idea what was going on other than I felt like I was dying, at home, and alone. For the first time ever, I called 911 and took an ambulance trip to Emerg. After being there for a few hours, they didn't find anything and I had calmed down. Since then, I've been experiencing on different levels from '1 - 10':
- small tremors through my neck and should areas (they can worsen to the point that others can see me shake)
- burning sensation in the same area
- numbness in my jaw / face area
- fullness in my right ear
- lightheaded but not *dizzy* as if I'm going to faint
- overall not feeling right as if my head is detached
- weakness in lower body and legs
- numbness in right leg and foot (not all the time, it comes and goes)
- panic attacks when my digestive system kicks in
- lack of an appetite
- nausea (sometimes)
- a few other items which I am too tired to think of....

When I try to sleep, as soon as I feel like I'm about to doze off, I have the symptoms flood over me big time and I'm 'shaken' awake. I can also been in a deep sleep, having a pleasant dream, when if feels like someone has grabbed the back of my neck/shoulders and has shaken me violently awake. I have to sit right up and bring my knees up to my chest and try to relax myself. Sometimes I stay awake all night.

I have every test you can imagine since May, as this is ongoing with no relief. I have had a head MRI (made my tremor and head detachment feeling worse), Spine MRI, Chest CT Scan (bad reaction to the dye), colonoscopy (I'm convinced my IBS triggers the symptoms to be worse), heart monitor, blood test for thyroid (one of the first things since I'm diabetic), along with many other blood test. I have two in for Mercury and Lead poisoning, but the results aren't back yet. More and more I'm starting to believe that it's all attached to the birthcontrol, although I've been on it in the past without issues, and this time around it was just over a year and a half when these symptoms all kicked in.
If this is all caused by the bc, I will be very relieved as this has been causing me a lot of grief. Thankfully I am able to work from home on my laptop, otherwise I would be out of a job. Getting up, showered and out the door is impossible. I had one good day last weekend where I was able to go out with my very supportive and adoring boyfriend, and we fed a few squirrels in a park. It's taken away my summer so far.
I'll come back to post an update if I find that stopping Alesse has helped any.
I wish everyone well!!!!
Stacey

Its funny because I always thought all my symptoms were just 'me'. But now I am highly doubting this. I was on some heavy birth control quite a few years back and it led to severe panic attacks. So I was switched to yasmin, which seemed to help, and I had the most clear skin I've ever had and no break through bleeding, but I was quite emotional on it. After reading everything on these message boards a few months ago, it really got me worried that Yasmin was contributing to my side effects (oh and 0 sex drive by the way too), so I was switched to lessina/alesse. I am in my second pack, second week, and I am feeling like I am losing my mind. I have half my sex drive back, more acne, and more panic. I am worried I will never find a good balance with any pill. Anyone actually have a good experience with a pill, any recommendations? I wouldn't recommend these two, but everyone reacts differently. Please, any recommendations at all??

I took Alesse for 1.5 years and I liked it for the most part. It helped clear my skin and my periods were really light. I had no mood swings, irritability, or PMS symptoms. But I also had NO sex drive and my hair started thinning.